


What Happened At Malfoy Manor

by ballerinaroy



Series: The Aftermath [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-30
Updated: 2018-05-30
Packaged: 2019-05-16 06:49:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14806395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ballerinaroy/pseuds/ballerinaroy
Summary: A companion piece to The Aftermath,  this is the imagining of what happened to Hermione at Malfoy Manor and to Harry and Ron directly after. This story can be read alone, before, or after reading The Aftermath.The Aftermath explores what might have happened if Hermione hadn't be rescued at Malfoy Manor but instead had been kept a prisoner for years after the war had ended. The Aftermath picks up at Hermione's rescue a number of years later and follows Hermione and Ron in the four years after whilst dealing with the effects of trauma and PTSD.





	What Happened At Malfoy Manor

Feebly she stirred to find she’d been forced into a staining position, someone holding her flush against them as a shield, her entire body weight still being held by whomever’s breath panted in her ear. Dizzily she forced herself to open her eyes, despite the pain rushing through her in waves and blurring her vision. She wanted very much to lay back down and though her memory was hazy she knew she had to concentrate, knew it was important she stay awake.

Slowly the room came into focus. There was blood staining the floor before her, she wondered for a moment who’s it was only to be suddenly reminded it was hers as the person behind her drug her backward, Hermione’s feet trailing the rug. Someone was speaking and then suddenly there was the cruel voice in her ear.

“Drop your wands.” She whispered and as what little color drained from her cheeks Hermione realized who exactly was standing behind her. “Drop them, or we’ll see exactly how filthy her blood is!”

There was a pause and she forced her eyes open to find Harry and Ron meters away from her, determined looks stubbornly stuck on their faces. Their bravery, their stupidity frightened her more than anything, more than the woman behind her and more than the knife which was pressed against her knock, dangerously close to breaking the skin. They had been so lucky, so very lucky and they were so close to finishing their mission and ending the war. Now she would be the one to end it all.

“I said, drop them!” Bellatrix screamed, and the blade was pressed just so slightly against her skin. There was a small sting and then Hermione felt something warm on her collar.

Softly Hermione whimpered and suddenly by her hair she was jerked back, removing Harry and Ron from her field of vision as she was forced to stare at the ceiling where a beautiful crystal chandelier hung above them. If only she could take a wand, cause it to fall and distract Bellatrix even for a second. But just as a plan began to form in her mind there was a clattering of wood and as Hermione peered from the bottom of her eyes she saw they’d dropped a half dozen wands and raised their hands in surrender.

All the air had been knocked out of her. There would be no escape she realized suddenly. There was no possible way they’d all survive to tell their tale. Through her haze she heard Bellatrix bark something more, this time to Draco who to her looked frightened as he scampered across the room to where Harry and Ron stood, eyes trained on her.

Wordlessly Hermione tried to communicate, tell them to take the wands and leave. She knew in that moment they were taken it would be over, there would be no escape. She beckoned their eyes to look upward but they refused to look away from her. She pleaded for them to leave, though she knew they wouldn’t leave her here. She knew too much but more than anything they were loyal to her, stupidly loyal so much so they would damn themselves to a painful and sudden end rather than just let her-

The terrible thought came to her in the fraction of seconds she had left before there fate was sealed. They both stared at her eyes begging for them to tell her what to do but she couldn’t bring herself to look at Ron. His voice that screamed her name still rang in her ears. Thoughts of a life after the war faded before her eyes as Draco crept closer and Hermione thought of what to do, how to end it. As she struggled against her captor the knife was pressed deeper into her skin and it all came together.

 _The knife_. If it had been sharp enough to effortlessly draw blood moments earlier surely it could be used to cut deeper, it wouldn’t take more than a moment after all.

Her eyes widened and she stared at them, hoping desperately they would act before it was too late. It happened all at once, tears filled her eyes as she screamed at them to go and in the same moment, she threw all of her weight onto the knife pressed into her skin.

Everything moved in slow-motion.

They realized what she was doing a moment before Bellatrix jumped back in shock. Harry lunged forward, causing Draco to fall back away from them. The cut instantly deepened and Hermione could feel as her blood sprayed from her and raced down her neck soaking the neckline of her jumper. Bellatrix seemed more surprised than she, shouting out in disgust and jumping away from Hermione taking with her the knife which had been lodged in her skin.

With her support gone Hermione was unable to stand on her own and she crumpled to the ground, falling face first onto the cold polished stone floor. It was from there she could see them again, Ron’s face screwed up in pain as his mouth split into a scream, her name radiating from his lips and piercing her ears. Harry reacted in just enough time, catching the back of Ron’s jacket and yanking him back before he could race across the room. He picked up the wands in a fluid motion and then with a sorry look, towards her accoied the goblin who raced across the room. Ron’s screaming voice filled her ears as tears streamed down his face. He lunged for her again but Harry’s grip held and they budged but an inch. She wanted to reach for him then, to call out and ease his pain but forced herself to lie still, knowing they wouldn’t leave with her still alive. There was a loud crack as Hermione’s vision blurred and then she was alone.

Hermione tried then to draw a breath only to find the task was pointless. None of her mussels seemed to work and all she could do was listen to the ravings of those she was still in the company of as a chill filled her. And in that moment Hermione stopped holding on.

 

Before they even landed Harry could feel Ron fight him again, finally snapping from his shock and he clawed at Harry’s skin, kicking and punching Harry who held tighter to he and Dobby. They landed with a thud, falling to the ground and Harry’s ears rang from the sound of Ron’s yelling.

“We have to go back!” Ron screamed at him, scrambling to his feet and stumbled over to Harry who’d landed several feet away. “Harry we have to go back!”

Dizzily, Harry shook his head, the violent image stinging his eyes and he felt suddenly he was about to be sick. He forced himself to sit up as Ron, blinded by his own tears, reached Harry, and had the most pitiful look on his face.

“We have to go back,” he insisted, breathing labored and he looked panicked as he began to search himself for a wand. “Harry-“

Still, Harry couldn’t say anything, wordlessly watching as Ron looked around himself and then to Harry, wiping the tears from his face with the back of his sleeve. “Do you have a wand? Harry-“

Harry shook his head, pulling his jacket shut, but it was too late, Ron had already seen them. He dived for Harry, scratching at his jacket to get inside and grab one of the wands he’d stolen.

“Give me one!” Ron roared and Harry shook his head again, keeping Ron at arm's length as he scrambled back. “Give me a wand! We have to go back!”

Ron lunged at him, and with the same panic, Harry used his feet to defend himself, kicking at Ron’s shoulder and then jumped to his feet. In shock, Ron stared up at him, putting a hand on his damaged shoulder.

“Harry,” he croaked, tears filling his eyes again. “We have to go back, we have to save her. Harry, it’s Hermione.”

“Hermione’s dead,” Harry said, his own voice breaking and though he said the words they simply didn’t feel real to him.

In the distance, figures ran towards them and Harry fumbled with the wands in his pocket, arming himself before they could inflict more harm. Ron, still in shock, sat on the ground staring at the place Harry had been with an expression of such pain and heartbreak. Harry worried he’d broken something in his kick. The figures grew closer and Harry looked at Griphook who’d managed to roll over onto his back.

“Are you alright?” Harry asked and the goblin nodded, still gripping the sword in his hands. At the sight of the ruby covered handle, Harry felt a surge of guilt and felt again as if he was about to be sick. It had all been over the damn sword. They had been so close to escaping.

Harry forced his eyes away before tears could come, looking now to Dobby who lay on his side, curled around himself and appeared to be shivering. “Dobby?” Harry asked and when the small squeaky voice didn’t answer, he fell to his knees, reaching out.

Blood stained his shirt, emanating from the knife which had been lodged into his chest. Dobby’s wide eyes didn’t move when Harry pulled him into his arms. And by the time Harry’d wrapped him in his jacket Dobby’s shaking had stopped.

“What’s going on?” a loud, familiar voice called and Harry’s eyes shot up to the eldest Weasley sibling who’d arrived. Worriedly Bill looked at Ron, still stuck staring at the place Harry had been and bent down at his side. “Harry!”

Harry didn’t know what to say, he didn’t have the words to explain what had happened. Helplessly he looked around him, the goblin looking like he was about to be sick and then back down to Dobby who lay lifeless in his arms. “He’s in shock,” Harry answered, feeling like he’d had the air knocked out of him. “He’s in shock.”

Tenderly, Bill put his hands on Ron’s shoulders, helping him to sit back, the look still on his face. Harry snuck a glance at Ron, tears now streaming down his face and streaking with the dirt and blood. Bill was looking over Ron with a worried expression while Fleur tended to Griphook, whispering to him and tenderly touching his legs.

“This isn’t your blood,” Bill said to Ron who shook his head, face falling farther. “Ron.”

Ron’s mouth opened, but he seemed unable to answer, looking down at his hands suddenly and for the first time seemed to realize the uneven starches from the stone wall he had pounded on. He gasped, holding them up to Bill who’s eyes widened. Dean and Luna, who’d been running behind them, arrived and stood breathless, staring at them.

“What’s happened?” Bill demanded, holding Ron’s hands apart and looked at Harry with an angry expression. “Harry!”

Harry’s mouth worked but no tangible sound came out.

Luna looked at them worriedly and slowly walked over, her face saddening at the sight of Dobby wrapped in Harry’s jacket. She closed his eyes with her hand and looked at Harry with a serious expression.

“Where’s Hermione?” Dean demanded suddenly, looking at them all as if putting a puzzle together.

Harry felt as if he’d hit a wall and his eyes closed as he thought of it again. Bill turned, searching wildly as if she’d been hiding and then his eyes locked on Harry for a moment before looking back at Ron who was now sobbing.

“Harry!” Bill demanded and Harry shook his head, tears finally filling his eyes.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Harry felt Luna’s arms wrapping around him as he watched Bill’s angry expression slowly fad and he looked back at his youngest brother, tears streaming down his red and splotchy face. No one said a word for a moment and time seemed to stop. Dean, at a loss for words, stared at Harry for a moment more before shaking his head, searching around for a moment before finally just sat on the ground, pulling his knees up to his chest. Fleur had abandoned Griphook for the time, walking over to her husband and lay a hand on his shoulder as he took his younger brother into his arms, holding onto him tightly as Ron still sobbed.

“Hermione’s dead,” Harry whispered in a low voice though he knew the others had heard him. The words still felt foreign to him as if it were a bad dream he just couldn’t wake from. “Hermione’s dead.”


End file.
